This series strives to feature passionate and dedicated cosplayers who love doing what they do. Here, we chat about their thoughts and experiences, and share their amazing craft with the rest of the world!
Hello readers! We are starting a new series of interviews with cosplayers, and for its launch, we are super excited to have Natasha here with us to share her cosplay experiences and love for the hobby.
Name: Natasha Tatarova
Nickname: Eva
Birthday: 30 October
Height: 5’9
Country: Born in Russia and currently residing in the US
Natasha is an aspiring actress and has been cosplaying for over a year now. The first cosplay she ever did was Lucy from Elfen Lied but ultimately, her personal favourite to date is Nui from Kill La Kill. “It took me forever to make but it was so worth it!” she recalls. Currently, Natasha is working on two cosplays: Tsukiyama, from the series Tokyo Ghoul, and Jolyne, from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
From left to right: Female!Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul and Sebastian Michaelis from Kuroshitsuji
Every few days on Tumblr and Instagram, Natasha posts a ‘costest’. She explains that these are photos that showcase unofficial cosplays, whereby she does the character’s makeup and reuses old wigs. They are fun to do and are not costly or time-consuming!
“Cosplaying is my favourite hobby and I’m so glad I got into it! The cosplay community is great; everyone is so friendly and accepting. I’ve made so many great friends!” - Natasha
Natasha watches a lot of anime (both popular and unpopular ones), and her favourite so far is Psycho Pass. This is followed by Hunter x Hunter, which also features her all-time favourite character, Hisoka. As for manga, her top pick is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and she is especially fond of Part 6: Stone Ocean.
Cosplaying is a special interest for Natasha. “I love cosplaying because it’s really great to feel like another person/character, at least for a few hours. It’s like leaving behind all my problems temporarily,” she says. Cosplaying also allows her to experiment with makeup and self-transformation, both of which are aspects that she loves about the hobby.
Jolyne Kujo from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Q&A: Let's Talk Cosplay!
Describe your most memorable/weird/funny cosplay or convention experience.
Zazan from Hunter x Hunter
What do you enjoy most about cosplaying?
I love the process of putting together a costume for a character, and also making friends at conventions! I also enjoy running cosplay accounts, since I can get into cosplay any day and share it with my followers instead of just showing them off at cons. I also dream of organizing a group cosplay one day and having a huge photo shoot!
Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan
Do you have any tips for first-time cosplayers?
Yes! When making your cosplays, it’s very useful to have many reference pictures of the character you want to cosplay. It’s easier this way, especially when doing the character’s makeup! I know a lot of people struggle with cosplaying because for some reason, they do it all by memory and it’s very difficult that way. Also, don’t ever be afraid to use “too much makeup”; it’s never too much, so experiment away! Even though I have been cosplaying for over a year now, I’m still not 100% sure about my makeup and the outcome is unintentionally different every time, since I try new things.
Also another tip: In my opinion, the most important facial feature to take note of when doing makeup is your eyebrows. They can completely change your look! So, if you do your eyebrows well, even if you’re not good with eyeliner, the whole look will be great, I promise! I don’t know why, but it just works that way!
Fem!Uta from Tokyo Ghoul
Are there any misconceptions or stereotypes that people make about cosplaying?
People think cosplaying is very easy but it’s actually the opposite! Cosplaying costs a ton of money and it’s very time-consuming. Some also think that cosplayers are “weird” and “childish” and need a “better hobby”. Aren’t they the ones who are childish if they judge people by a hobby that makes them happy? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Being a cosplayer is great, you meet a ton of people, make friends, and have a great time! Even though cosplaying has its pros and cons at the end of the day, it is so worth it and I don’t regret getting into cosplaying at all!
(Preach it, girl!!)
What do you think are your strengths?
I feel that I’m decent at makeup and the more I practice, the better I’ll get! I also like my natural face shape because it complements my cosplays.
Who do you idolise or admire as a cosplayer?
I really admire the cosplayer, Sakuya. They are very inspiring!
Exclusive Section: Behind-the-scenes
Ever been curious about what goes on behind those flawless pictures? Tons of hard work, sweat and tears, and more often than not, a whole lot of goofiness too. In this exclusive section, we (kinda) expose the secret lives of cosplayers to help you gain a deeper insight into their work. (Or simply just to put a smile on your face!)
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Natasha: This shot was when I was Nui Harime from Kill La Kill and like a million Ryukos attacked me!
N: This Ryuko cosplayer bridal carried me (I think that’s what it’s called??) and the caption was ''About to throw Nui into the trashcan" LOL
N: I’m showing my progress on my Nui dress that I made myself like two days before I went to Anime Expo!^^ I put a star over my head cause I looked ridiculous lol
N: Progress with my Jolyne top! Drawing the web lines ^^ And finally, the result / whole costume!
Links
Follow Natasha on these sites!
Instagram: NatashaZagadka
Youtube: NatashaZagadka
Tumblr: Hyskoa-relatable
A huge thank you to Natasha for taking the time to talk to us
and in helping make this series a reality!
and in helping make this series a reality!
I hope you all had as much fun reading this article as much as we had making it. Please give this series (and Natasha, as well as future featured cosplayers) lots of love and support. Arigato and see you all next time (◕‿◕✿)
